PRIYA COOPER / SPORTS EDITOR

Intramural sports have become very popular at USD in the past few years. Amongst their growth, intramural soccer has become one of the schools favorites. Recreational soccer at the university offers students an exciting  opportunity  to  stay  active, build friendships and enjoy the thrill of competition, all while in a fun and supportive environment. Whether students are  seasoned sports players or someone just looking to try out the sport, intramural leagues are designed to be inclusive, welcoming athletes of all skill levels. 

USD junior Kevin Curran plays for the campus rec-team called “Arsenal,” named after the professional club team that is based in London, England. While  Curran has played with his intramural team since freshman year  not all intramural athletes are as experienced.  

“I’ve been playing intramurals since the second semester of my freshman year,” Curran said. “So [that would]  be like four  semesters. I played soccer from when I was three until I was in like eighth grade, but I didn’t play high school.” 

Joining intramural soccer at USD is accessible to students of all skill  levels  and  is  less involved than joining a club or division 1 team. 

USD junior Nick Narloch, who is a teammate of Curran, explained how he got into the game and his experience with intramural soccer.

“I never played soccer before,” Narloch said. “I played other sports in high school, however. I wanted to join because a lot of my friends decided to make a team, and I thought it’d be a great way to spend my Tuesday nights.”

There are no tryouts or intense selection processes, so people can jump in as an experienced player or while just looking to have some fun. Some people take it more seriously  than  others but it’s mostly about having a good time with friends and getting a good workout in. Curran spoke  more about how people can participate and what the  teams look like at USD. 

“Anyone could join,” Curran said. “We  have  kind  of  a  core  group, but people get injured, and people go abroad, and so we sometimes just ask random people, ‘Hey, like, did you play soccer in high school? Want to join our team?’ … So sometimes just random people show up. It’s pretty hype.” 

Not only are intramural teams more accessible than D1 soccer teams, they also offer more flexibility. Curran talked about the positions he plays for the team and also what he wants to get out of this season. 

“I kind of play all around,” Narloch said. “I feel like playing goalie sometimes, when we need it. I also play left back and in the middle and around. My goal for the season is to score a hat trick in the game. I think that’d be fun, and also to make the playoffs.” 

Narloch also reminisced on previous seasons while talking about his goals for the current season. 

“The past two years we’ve won the intramural championships,” Narloch said. “I think my favorite memory is probably the freshman year, the first time, just because … that was the first time playing together, and that really cemented that we would be willing to play here, like all of us, for the next four years.” 

Another important or fun aspect of intramural soccer is the pre-game hype rituals and team songs that players take on before hitting the field. Whether it’s a choreographed chant, a favorite playlist or a spirited team huddle, these moments create a strong sense of community and bring a lot of excitement to the game. Some teams even develop their own signature rituals. Curran explained how his team hypes themselves up before games. 

Intramural soccer games happen every Tuesday night. Photo courtesy of @usdcampusrec/Instagram

“Normally, we listen to British rap and Brazilian music, but I mean, a lot of times we just play like a name game before, because we always have, like, new people on the team each season, so sometimes it takes a bit to learn names,” Curran said. 

While intramural soccer offers a lively and engaging experience for students, there’s always room for improvement to make it even more inclusive and enjoyable. As popular as the program is, some students feel that increased access to resources, more flexible scheduling and expanded league options could enhance participation and accommodate the diverse needs of the student body. 

“I think a good way that intramural soccer could be improved is if the scheduling was able to be a little bit more streamlined,” Narloch said. “I know, at  least for our [team],  since we have a lot of students who are undergraduates, we kind of have a very small window that we can actually go and play soccer. [Sometimes] games move last minute to, like, 10 o’clock at night, we kind of lose a lot of people just, you know, people have very tight schedules,” Narloch said. 

Overall intramural soccer offers students a fun and inclusive way to stay active and connect with peers. With its balance of competition and tradition, it’s a great way for students to take a break from the rigors of academics and enjoy the thrill of the game. Intramurals are also a great way for students to exercise,  especially  for some accommodating to no longer playing a sport in college like they may have in high school. Many students  who join their first year end up playing all throughout college and even those that join later  enjoy the  friendly competition and community it provides.  

Intramural soccer game at Manchester Field. Photo courtesy of @usdcampusrec/Instagram